


Just Happened To Be In The Neighborhood

by AdorkableAuthor



Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Kidnapping, Mobsters, Post-Season/Series 03, Rescue Missions, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 06:14:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15479412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdorkableAuthor/pseuds/AdorkableAuthor
Summary: Veronica steps in to save Logan from mobsters.





	Just Happened To Be In The Neighborhood

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly debated bringing back Ramblings for this one. I wrote it last night and while I could put effort into fleshing it out, I honestly just want to share it.

Veronica Mars stepped into the warehouse. She had her hands up and silently counted the men inside. There were three up on the catwalk, presumably guarding the place. Two more were at the door. They let her in. One of them was shoving a gun into her hair. Someone resembling a boss stood near a table to the side with a couple other guys. And finally, a trio surrounding a victim bound to a bar above his head. Eleven bad guys and the victim. She knew he would be inside. She was glad to see he was alive.

Logan Echolls hung from the bar by rope. He was topless and it looked like he had been punched pretty bad. It wasn't hard to see the rippling muscles that he didn't have the last time she saw him. But, she was distracted by his swollen and bloody face. She noticed the exact moment he realized she was standing there. He grunted through his cloth gag and jolted with renewed life. 

“I'm looking for Eric.” Veronica exhaled and looked to the table. “Tell your guy that the bullet comes out of the gun. He doesn't have to shove it in.” She watched as Eric White, mob leader, waved the man back. Veronica felt the gun move away from her head. “Thanks. Got a minute?”

“What is she doing in here?” Eric stepped around his men and walked closer to her. “Did you frisk her?”

“Yea. She's clean.” The man with the gun claimed. “She's got nothing on her.”

“Nick, do a facial search.” Eric stopped walking when he reached Veronica. He pointed to one of the guys at the table. “Smile for the camera, sweetie.” Eric flashed a predatory grin that was designed to scare most people. Veronica wasn't scared.

She turned briefly to see Nick before looking back to Eric. “I could just tell you who I work for.”

Eric raised a brow and his grin turned into a smirk. “Oh, that would be refreshing. Ok, darling, who do you work for?”

“CIA.” Veronica held up a hand as guns were drawn around her. “But, I'm not here for them.” He pointed to Logan. “I'm here for him.”

Nick chuckled. “And we're supposed to just hand him over?”

“Please?” Veronica countered. 

Eric gestured to the table. “Why is this man so important to the CIA?”

She took the hint and walked towards the table. “He's not.” 

Eric chuckled and stopped Veronica. He turned her to face him. “Then, why are you here?”

“He's important to me.” She kept her back straight. “So, I'm here to negotiate his safe release.” She heard a few loud laughs around her. A looked to Logan and he looked worried. She looked back to Eric. “What are your terms?” 

Eric leaned against the table and watched Veronica. “You are serious.”

“Yes. Terms?” Veronica stood still.

“What do you do for the CIA?” Eric asked calmly.

“I'm an agent.” Veronica didn't want to give away too much. She hadn't planned on telling Logan about her career while he was bound and gagged, but maybe it would be for the best.

“A field agent?” Eric crossed his arms over his chest.

“Yes. An agent is someone who does field work.” She resisted the smirk.

Eric turned to grab a tablet and handed it to her. “Can you get to the thirty-fifth floor vault?”

Veronica took the tablet and looked down. It was a skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles. As far as Veronica knew, it was filled with business offices. She had no idea what would be in a vault. “Depends on the security.” She looked closer. The floor was claimed by Kane Software Industries. “Which is probably really good if the floor actually belongs to Kane.”

Logan grunted. When Veronica lifted her head, his eyes were wide.

“Well, that's why we have this guy.” Nick chuckled. 

Veronica pointed at Logan as casually as she could. “You kidnapped this guy because he can get you into Kane Software's fault? What is your logic on that?”

Eric raised a brow. “You care about him and don't know his name? This is Duncan Kane, heir to the company!”

Veronica bent over and took a deep breath before she lifted her torso back up and laughed loudly. “Oh, you are about to feel very stupid. That's not Duncan.” She held up a finger before she began to search images on the tablet. She found one of Duncan from high school. She showed it to Eric. “This is Duncan.” She gestured to Logan. “That is not.”

Eric swiped the tablet to get a closer look. He growled and looked to Nick. “Why the fuck would you think this dude is the guy we need?”

“Jake called him son last week!” Nick's eyes were wide and his breath was fast and hard. “Eric, I'm so sorry.”

“Look. I get it. Mistakes happen. Let this guy go and we'll forget this mix-up happened.” Veronica sighed. She was trying to be confident.

Eric pulled a gun from under his suit jacket and held it at his side. “I don't think that works for me.”

Veronica blinked and took a small step towards Eric.

Eric raised the gun and fired. Veronica jumped at the sound. Nick fell to the floor with a hole in his head. Eric looked to Veronica. “You go in, get what I need, bring it to me. I'll release your friend.” He was speaking through clenched teeth.

Veronica looked up at Eric. “I would need weeks to plan that. You are better off with us walking out of here and you continuing your business.”

“You saw me murder someone. You know what I plan on robbing. You see torture and kidnapping. Where is my guarantee you won't send your agent buddies to get me?” Eric tossed the tablet on the table and stepped towards Veronica.

“I'm CIA. My agent buddies work outside US borders. This is California. There's your guarantee.” Veronica wasn't going to back down.

The back of Eric's hand was hard against Veronica's cheek and she stumbled to the side. Logan growled out behind him. “Next time, I'll use my other hand.”

Veronica winced at the sting of the backhand and looked to his other hand. It still held the gun. “Let me see your plan and the tools you have. I'll see if it's possible.”

Eric grinned and waved another guy over. “Tony, get the agent what she needs. No guns.” He smirked to Veronica. 

She hadn't expected them to give her a weapon. She shrugged. “Take the man down and put him in a chair.” 

Eric stepped closer. “What do we say?”

Veronica looked up at him, knowing her cheek was red and it was possible her lip was bleeding. “Please.”

Eric took Veronica's chin in his hand and tilted her face. He inspected his work before releasing her. “Let him down. Tie him to a chair. Keep him gagged.” He rolled his eyes. “He seems vocal now with the Lady Agent here. I'm not interested in his threats.” He pointed to a chair. “Sit.”

Veronica sat and watched as Logan was relocated to a chair on the other side of the mostly empty warehouse. None of his injuries looked major. She breathed easier.

A couple hours later, Veronica was geared up in black. She had a bag filled with tools that was just about too heavy for her to carry. 

“Now, you go in, get the flash drive and bring it to me. Then, I'll let you and Mr. Not Kane walk out.” Eric smiled.

Veronica knew what that smile meant. If she brought the flash drive back, she and Logan would be shot and left to rot. She gave a nod. “Sounds good.” 

“Good luck, Agent.” Eric sat in a chair and kicked his feet up on the table.

Veronica walked out of the warehouse. It was getting dark. She got into her car and started it up. Her cell phone rang and she tapped the hands-free button. “Mars.”

“We heard a gunshot and were worried.” Her superior sighed. 

“I witnessed him kill one of the goons. Logan is in the northeast corner tied to a chair. Three on catwalk, seven on floor level, including White. They all looked armed, but only the three on catwalk had their weapons out.” Veronica pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road. 

“We'll take it from here. Good work, Agent.” He ended the call.

Veronica drove to the LA office of the CIA and walked inside. She had the bag in hand and took it to evidence immediately. She was grateful for any activity that distracted her from the assault on the warehouse. 

The plan was to save Logan, but if she got out without him, her team would strike and take out the mob members. She trusted her team, but stray bullets happen. Bad timing, slow reflexes and hostages happen. 

She handed the bag over and took the form. She filled it out the best she could while trying very hard not to check her phone. She was barely able to only glance at the clock a couple of times. After evidence, she moved to her office and changed into her casual clothes. She sat at her desk and exhaled slowly a couple of times before her phone buzzed. “Mars.”

“Mr. Echolls is en route to the hospital to be looked over. Nine of the suspects were killed while one Eric White was injured and taken into custody.”

“Logan wasn't shot?” Veronica hated how emotional her voice sounded, but Logan wasn't just another kidnapping victim.

“No, Mars. He looked pretty beaten up, but he walked out of the warehouse.” He paused. “He asked about you.”

“Yea?” She felt like a teenager again and had to force her brain to remember she was an agent for the Central Intelligence Agency and she was talking to her commanding officer. “I'll head to the hospital to check on him.”

He chuckled. “He was told you were safe and he relaxed and allowed us to take him. He would probably appreciate talking with you. Good work, Agent Mars. Enjoy your weekend.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Veronica grinned and rushed out of the building.

 

Veronica walked into the emergency room exam area. She had to flash her badge when a nurse tried to get her expelled. The nurse relaxed and told her which curtain Logan was behind. Veronica walked to it and took a deep breath before opening it.

Logan laid on the bed with a thin blanket over him. It was tucked up close to his chin and his arms were both under it. His eyes were closed and his breathing was calm. 

She stepped in the small exam room and let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She set her bag down in a chair and moved next to the bed. She took a closer look at his face. One eye was pretty swollen, but it had been smeared with some gel. The other eye had a cut under it. Bruises were all over his cheeks and jaw. His lip was busted open. She wanted to move the blanket to inspect his chest.

“Hey.” His voice was soft.

She lifted her eyes to his good one and smiled. “Hey.”

A hand came out from under the blanket and gently caressed her pink cheek. She had forgotten about the backhand until then. 

“You ok?” 

She chuckled and gave a nod. “I'm fine. You?”

“Waiting on X-Ray of my ribs, as a precaution. I think maybe they bruised a few.” He winced as he tried to sit up. 

Veronica pushed his shoulder down and he fell back on the mattress. “Stay.” She tugged the blanket back up. 

He grunted, but let her cover him back up. “So, an agent?”

She pulled her badge back out and let him see it. “My dad hates it, but I think it's the CIA thing. I'm not normally in the US.” If she were with the FBI, she would be home for cookouts and holidays. Her father missed her being around.

He grinned, though pained as he looked it over. “Lucky for me.”

“Dick called it in yesterday.” She sighed. “His 911 call said you had been grabbed off the street, thrown into a van and driven away. He got a partial tag. It's not usual for CIA to handle kidnappings, but we'd been looking at Eric White for a while. When the alert came through, we knew we had an in to get him.” She took a breath. “When I realized it was you, I volunteered for the mission.”

“You could have been killed so many times.” His hand eased out of the blanket and grabbed hers. “I felt sick as soon as I saw you walk in.”

“I felt sick leaving you behind.” She smiled softly and gently squeezed his hand. “But, we're both ok.”

The doctor came in and blinked at Veronica's presence. “Visitors aren't allowed without a pass, ma'am.” 

Veronica rolled her eyes and showed her badge. “He's a witness in a case. Continue as if I wasn't here.”

Logan smirked up at her. “Smooth, Sugarpuss.” He looked to the doctor. “It's fine. Can I leave yet?”

“You have two fractured ribs.” He looked at his tablet and zoomed in on an X-Ray before showing Logan. “These two here.” He pointed to the two. “And these are bruised, but you probably aren't feeling that over the cracked ones.”

“Anything else?” Logan grunted.

“Nothing you don't already know. We're going to wrap them up, then I suggest a couple weeks of very limited mobility, followed by a visit to your doctor to check them out. A couple nurses will be in soon.”

“Can I get a shirt?” Logan still had Veronica's hand in his.

The doctor smirked. “I'll see if anyone wants to give up a scrub.” 

“If one does, I'll buy him a new set.” Logan leaned his head back.

The doctor walked out and closed the curtain behind him.

“Want me to call someone? Dick?” Veronica asked softly. 

“You aren't going to offer to take me home and take care of me?” He smirked with his eyes closed.

“I have work to do.” Veronica grinned down at him.

He peeked up at her with his good eye. “So, if I'm going to complain about the risky lifestyle, I should do it now?”

“Oh, yes, let's get that out of the way.” Veronica lost her grin.

He raised her hand to his lips and gently pressed the back of her hand to them. “Thank you for saving me, Ronica.”

Her stomach flipped and filled with warm, fuzzy butterflies. 

“And thanks for never confusing me with Duncan.” 

Veronica giggled. “Lilly and I figured out a way to color code you so I could keep track. Once he left, I let you pick out your own clothes.”

Logan chuckled. “She said I looked good in orange.”

“And Duncan looked good in blue. He also looked good in orange, but we told him he didn't.” She grinned. 

Logan tugged her closer. “When do you go back to work?” 

“Monday.” She looked down at him.

“Stay with me.” He placed her hand on his bare chest. 

Veronica gave him a little nod. “Ok. But limited mobility.” She smirked.

“Tantric. Got it.” He smirked back. “Honestly, I just didn't want my healthcare, food and showering needs to be left to Dick.”

“We'll stop by my dad's to get a bag of clothes for me.” Veronica exhaled. “Then we'll get you to bed.”

“God, you know what I like.” He blinked a couple times and followed them with a growl. “I'm trying to wink, but I don't think you can tell.”

Veronica chuckled. “I can tell by your tone.”

Logan sighed. “I missed you.”

Veronica bent and gently kissed his forehead. “I missed you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, Kudos and Comments are my nourishment as a writer. If you liked it, tap Kudos. If you felt something, tell me about it in the comments. That's how I grow as a writer. 
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Email: adorkableauthor@gmail.com  
> Twitter: @adorkablewriter


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